Front page of the Gazette yesterday "Warmest January ever"

[rurallib]

I don't have a link nor do I still have the paper. Sorry.
Since global warming has been one of my major concerns for a long time, any weather related stories jump out at me. The "warmest January" was for the state. This is coming on the heals of the global "warmest year ever". It is really getting scary.
There was a tropical disturbance that formed in the Carribean last week. As far as anyone could remember this was a first for January.
Now I hear on the radio that a 'la nina' has formed in the Pacific. These usually bring an increase in the number and severity of hurricanes, according to the radio. I vaguely (repeat vaguely) remember that la ninas cause drought in the midwest. We are already waaaay dry (quit cutting grass in June last year.
I guess the good news is that the warm weather may have saved some folks from freezing to death or going broke.

[Bluzmann57]

1. Yeah but if the drought continues

This fertile state, breadbasket to America, may well have to start buying food from Ethiopia or somewhere. Now I really don't care for winter, but some snow wouldn't really hurt anything.

[rurallib]

2. It'll be hard to be an energy giant if we have no rain to grow

corn or switchgrass or even hemp. I remember reading that hemp could be huge in the ethanol area. I'll try to look it up tomorrow.

[rurallib]

3. Correction - front page of the Iowa section of 2/1/06.